Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-11-02
- Central Soudan-

fierce Bedouin-like array will spring
from behind some cliff or out OF an un-
zen hollow. and with marrow-pierc-
tng var-cries and unearthly screams,
spears levelled or swords uplIfted, bear
/ down upon Us like q whnlwInd, amid
cloud. Of dust, apparently bent on an
nfhilating or sending TO Gahenna such
] futdels as ourselves. But even though
Won feel a decided want OF backbone,
a dozen spears, as it were, already
ouiyering. in your bodies, and your
heads not worth the purchase, pray do
not run away, or even olench lor one
moment. Assume an Indifferent ex-
preston, as it being chopped up or spit
/ ted on spears was daily experience
/ II you can smile in the emergency, ali
the better, for Just as We seem TO feel
the hot breath of their horses on our
: cheeks, and in a bewIldered sort OF way
realize the disagreeable proximity OF
several spears, another shout Will MI
the air, the galloping horses as If by
magic will stand stock-still, envelop-
ing US in a cloud of dust, and by the
curlial shouts OF welcome and hearty
salams we shall find most pleasant
assllrance that all this fiendlsh display
is intended as an honorable welcome to
their town. Barely shall We have rea-
lized that this IS the way they do these
things in central SOudan, and that in
stead Of being among foes We are among
friends, when the horsemen are on
again, seemingly bent once more on an
Initiating AL unseen enemy
Let us wait minute, and from De-
hind the gateway We shall hear the
notes of native music, net Such as
would delight Us at home, but yet har-
monizing with our surroundings, and
not without certain wild, weird
charm of its own Some OF you may
have heard similar shrill melancholy
strains in the streets OF Cairo IN festl-
val professions, or still more appTo-
priately in Arab camps Presently
however. the music viii cease To mo-
nopOIiZe your attention. As the muSl-
clans themselves advance with their
huge trumpets six feet long, their pipes
and our-glass-shaped tomtoms, her
aiding the approach of a Fillam noble
man. Following at no great distance
comes the respected magnaJe voluml-
nously clothed, and mounted on a
prancing fiery-eyed horse, one mass Of
rich trappings, which jingle and rustic
at its every step. This Is the mesSen-
yer sent To bid US welcome by the Sui
tan-a task which he Will perform
with that dignided bearing and Unborn
grace which seem somehow specially
characteristic of Mohammedan races.
This ceremony over, the hOTsemen VIII
once more engage III mimic battle,
showing their modes Of lighting, and
the skill with which they WELD their
weapons and manage their horses
Thus escorted, We shall be expected To
fall into procession, and headed by u
court singer, who ImprOvlses a chant
III our honor, which Il accompanied by
the pipes, and accumulated by the steu-
torian notes of the trumpets and the
unmusical notes Of the tOmtOm5, We
shall Le conducted through wondering
but respectful crowds To the quarters
specially provided for US in the town.
Let US imagine that this quaint and
interesting ceremony Is over, and that
we are safely housed, that We have lis
tened to second messenger from the
Sultan, and looked over the abundance
of good things sent for our immediate
entertainment, and finally have been
left alone to refresh ourselves and resi-
after the excessive tatlgues OF our
journey.
Toward the cool of the evening We
can afford To wander forth once more,
and seek new sights and scenes to graf
ify our lively curiosity. We must be
prepared to be followed by crowds of
the lower classes, more eager To see
us than even We can be TO see them.
But observe how respectful they are.
and how little of baTbarous yulgarity
they have in their examination of US,
as compared with the pagan tribes We
IA
journey.
Leaving for another occasion the eX-
animation of the inside of their houses
- their penetTalla - let US wander
through the town. Long dead-walls
OF glaring red clay suggesting prisons
are varied by the occurrence here and
there Of a square tOwer-lIke building
having an ordinary doorway To the
street. From the roofs of these towers
project long clay pipes 10 dram of the
water from the Hat roofs. Sometimes,
instead of tat-roofed building, a con-
ical-roofed erection takes its place, and
In place of the ordinary EuropesIn-like
doorway characteristic OF all the square
buildings hoTSeshOe-shaped entrance
performs the same duty. Mats OF
fences Of sorghum stalks replace not i'll
frequently the massive mud walls
which enclose the compounds of the
wealthy. These are all the aTchitectur-
Al features which meet the iuquiriug
gaze Of the traveller
Having thus little to note in the
house, We must turn TO other objects
for points OF interest. And truly there
u no Lack. In shady hooks sit pict-
uresque groups of natives IN all kinds
OF combinations discussing the news of
the day, haggling over purchase. or
busily engaged in embroidery or max
ing up Of gowns and trousers. This
trade, We may note, is here entirely in
the hands OF men, who ply the needle
with much skill. Farther ON we meet
eourtler gOrgeously dressed, looking
IN his yoluminous garments a very
talstan IN bulk, as he goes ambliug
past on his still more richly decorated
horse, bent on little exercise in the
cool OF the evening. OF the personal
appearance of this aTistocrat | shall
not now speak, but we may take no.
tice OF the horse BY good luck here
happens 10 De one standing waiting To
De mounted, 50 we can more conVen-
lently examine steed and trappings in
detail The animal before us is a very
falr specimen of SOudaneSe horse
IL is somewhat lanky with little beau
~ OF line, but it IS tery-eyed, and ill.,
tail and name, being uncut, give it a
somewhat wild appearance. Soudan
ess horses are generally very vicious
and difficult TO manage, stations alone
being used for riding purposes. They
are specially trained for sudden for
ward charges, To stop within their own
length when in full gallop, To turn
with equal rapidity,- and away like the
wind out Of harms 5 way. At otheI
times the favorite mode of Progression
Is by making the horses left leg sim
ultaneouSly alternate with those of the
right side, method of travelling which
Is very pleasant and easy. The .-iders
are fond of making their horses u -ance
and plunge about with fierce and fiery
action. There is nothing which the
central Soudanese is so proud of a. his
horse, and nothing to which he deyotes
more time and attention than its an
pearanee and trappings. The head
gear IS almost one mass of braSs-plated